The Engagement Party and the Holocaust Survivor

This past Saturday, I waded into the deep end and attended my sister-in-law's engagement party - lots of people I don't know and lots of people I wasn't sure I would feel comfortable around.  I've explained it before but I will explain it again.  When I am around people I don't know the hyper-vigilance kicks in and it forces me to examine the actions of every person around me for threats.

Surprisingly, it went fairly well.  I felt the compulsion to give in and watch everyone.  Somehow, and I really don't know how, I was able to keep the hyper-vigilance at bay.  Fighting the urge was exhausting, though.  I fell asleep three times while I was at the party and it was out of sheer emotional exhaustion.

I thought about that as my wife was driving us home.  Are these my two options?  Giving in or exhausting myself fighting the urge?  It really bothered me on Sunday and Monday when I was at work.  I kept on thinking that there had to be another option - another way of dealing with the hyper-vigilance and anxiety.

Then something unexpected happened.  I was waiting on an elderly couple at the store and the old man was very grateful for my help and proffered his hand.  When I shook his hand, I saw the tattoo on the forearm of his other arm.  Numbers.  He was a Holocaust survivor.

I got goosebumps.

He saw me notice and he grew concerned at the look on my face.  He asked if he was the first survivor I had ever met and I told him, to my knowledge he was.  He nodded slowly.  He was very astute.  He asked me if I had been in war.  I told him that I was in Iraq.

What he said next was a gut shot:

"You have the look of the American soldiers who freed us from Dachau.  Your memories live with you every day.  I can see it in your face."

I didn't know what to say.  I just nodded my head.

"So do  mine.  I am comforted by my faith.  In our faith, God cherishes those who are just and righteous.  Only a righteous man is haunted by war."

With those simple words he patted me on the shoulder and walked back to his wife who was picking out bagels.

Talk about food for thought.  Having the memories as bedfellows means I am a righteous man? Is this the price of righteousness? So where's the upside of being righteous?

This is what I have been struggling with since Monday.  Needless to say, these are not the kinds of questions that don't have easy answers.  So...I keep on looking for them.